Folding gate



July 4, 1961 M. E. CATALANO ETAL 2,990,880

FOLDING GATE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZTI/Enf' 2 gg.

arz'e E azalano. Marlne 1 ('aa'azo (-323 July 4, 1951 M. E. CATALANO ETAL 2,990,880

FOLDING GATE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z/enor/ Marie E ('azalano arlene j'' Kazalano July 4, 1961 M. E. CATALANO ErAL 2,990,880

FOLDING GATE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MAMA* .www W uw,

Marie E C'lazalano WarZene'Caz/aZano wh@ Qm' @www United Seres Passt O 2,990,880 j FOLDING GATEy Marie E. Catalano and Marlene F. Catalano, both'of 12'12 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, Ill. i. j Filed Sept. 20195'7 Ser. No. 685,203

A 7 Claims. (Cl. 1601`62) mesh that is made up of a plurality of strips or links pivotally connected together at spaced points and arranged for extension and' contraction similarly to scissors links, or lazy tongs. According to its operation and function, it may also be referred to as a contracting or collapsing gate.

An object of the invention is to provide a folding gate ofthe kind generally indicated above that is` provided with smallmesh while still being capable of folding or contracting into a small space, and more particularly a space that is one half of the size of previously known folding gates having the same size mesh.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding gate of the character noted which has a basic standard construction similar to a standard folding gate as hereto-` fore Aknown, together with supplementary or additional means for forming a small mesh, which is secured directly to the basic construction elements. A further object is to provide a folding gate of the general character noted above which is less costly than a foldknown, being less costly both because less material is used and less fabrication is necessary'. v -A still further object is to provide a folding gate of the above noted character which is more flexible in its adaptation to installations than folding gates of the kind hereto- 'fore known, in that the small mesh desired may be placed vat only selected areas or portions of the total area of the gate, whereby to provide the desired protection in the delsired'areas wthile at the same time eliminating the inclusion ICC y thesmal'l mesh of the gatein other selected and desired positions..Y l

Referring in detail to the drawings, attention is directed rst to FIGS. 10 and 1-1 showing, in its entirety, a device made according to the invention, which as illustrated is a guard or gate.,v The gate includes as its main parts a mesh 12 and rail-s 14 and 16 secured to the ends of the mesh. The rail at one end of the gate, for example the rail 14, is secured iixedly in position such as on the wall 18 of the store building or other structure to which the gate is applied. The opposite rail r16 is moved toward andv from the fixed rail 14 in contracting and extending movements 'of the gate. 'Ilhe structureto which the gate is adapted in FIG. 10 is a store front including the Wall 18 referred to above, and windows 20, as well as a door 22 which may be inset from the plane of the windows 20 as will be understood. The gate of FIG. 10 includes two parts, one on each of the opposite sides of the central door, the rails v14 at each end being secured to the building while the rails 16 Iare movable toward and from each other to the central positions' as indicated where they are locked for 'ing gate of the same size mesh of the kind heretofore 'contractible device similar to a folding gate that may be yutilized for other purposes such, for example, asa bridge. lOther objects and advantages of the invention will ap'- lpear from the following detailed description taken in con*- junction withthe accompanying drawingsin which:

` FIG. l is aside elevational view Aof a portion of the mesh` of -a folding gate made according. to the present invention, showing the mesh in extended position; f

FIG; 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG 11; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line '33 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 isa sectionalview taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

'addedfstrips or links of the presen-t invention are applied;

j FIG. l0 isa side elevational view of a gate ymade according tofthe presentI invention in aV practical' installation; showing a storefront to which the gateis applied; andY I i inc n is a viewsimnar tot FIG. io, bntshowigg'an, 'other kind of installation, and more particularly"showing protecting the windows of the store. The details of the mesh 12 and the rails y14 and 16, and their interconnection will be referred to in detail hereinbelow. l

Referring to FIG, l, the mesh 1\2 includes four sets of strips or links as compared with two sets in folding gates as heretofore known. iAs far back as :anyone in the folding lgate industry can remember, folding gates have been made with only two sets of strips, `and it has been the universal belief until the present invention Ithat a smaller mesh could not be produced on the basic or standard construction of strips. Such'basic or standard construction includes two sets of strips, shown in FIG. 1 at 24 and 26; All of the strips 24 are parallel and lie in a common plane and similarly all o-f the strips 26 are parallel and lie in a common plane, the two planes being juxtaposed, i.e., the strips of the two sets are in face-to-face engagement. The strips of the respective sets are relatively inclined at an angle at all times whether the gate is extended or contracted, although the angle between the strips varies -in the different positions 'of extension and contraction. The strips 24 are pivotally connected with the strips 26 by means such as rivets 28 at spaced points and preferably at all points at which they cross or overlap. Due to the pivotal connection provided by the rivets, the strips are extensible or contractible in the manner of scissors links or lazy tongs.

The points of connection between the strips 24 and 26, in vertical` line, preferably are odd in number, eg., there' are nine, eleven, thirteen, etc. such points of connection,A so that the ends of the strips at the ends of the mesh all terminate at certain common points for facility in mounting the mesh on the rails 14 and 16. For purposes'of reference the gate as oriented in FIG. 10 has a top 30, a bottom 32 and ends 34. The strips 24 and 26 are shown in the form of channel pieces although it will be understood that these strips may be of other shape. A folding gate of `the kind heretofore known was usually made of such channel strips to provide the neces'- sary strength. However, in the present instance, because 'of the added strips for providing the small mesh, additional strength is provided by them and hence, it is not necessary for the strips 24 and 26 to be of channel shape. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show these strips 24 and 216 in backto-back abutting relationship, i.e., the Webs of the channels forming the strips engage in face-to-face abutment. The rivets 28 as shown in FIG. 3 `are inserted through the webs of the strips and thus are inset from the outer ledges of the channel anges. w

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the details of a suitable kind of rail 1'4 or 16 and the means for securing the mesh thereto. The rail, which for convenience in the present instance is referred to as the rail y14, includes a"`hollowV channel member or post 3 6 generally tubular in shape but-.with anp-.opening von.one.side.deiined by outturned anges 38. Mounted in the member 36 is a slide or member 40 which is .preferably shaped complementally to the member 36 `forreducing the play therebetween and is .provided with a tongue 42 which may be formed by peripheral extremities iitted together and turned outwardly, and extended through the opening defined by the flanges 38. This tongue 42 serves as the means for securing the mesh to the slide and hence to the member 36 or rail 14. For this purpose, certain of the rivets 28, here designated yas 28a, utilized for securing the strips 24 and 26 together, are extended through the tongues and thus serves -to mount the mesh on the rail.

The slides or members 40.are provided in number corresponding to the meeting points of the strips 24 and 26 at the ends of the mesh. For example, in FIG. l these points, designated 444, are tive in number and hence, five of the slides or members 40 are provided. Usually, one of these slides is fixed in the rail 14, i.e., fixed against vertical movement, while all of the other members 40 are permitted to slide therein to accommodate the vertical movement of the ends of the strips 24 and 26 in the longitudinal extending and contracting movements of the mesh. Suitable means may be utilized for fixing or anchoring the one member 40, which in FIGS 6 and 8 is designated 40a. Rivets 46 are tted in holes in the anges 38 and tongue 42 of this member 40a for fixing it against vertical movement in the rail 14. All of the remaining members or slides I40 are permitted free vertical sliding movement in the rail.

The rivets 28a at the end of the mesh are in vertical alignment at vall times and thus the rails 14 and 16 remain in similar vertical position. The points of connection of the various rivets 28 (or 28a) spread apart horizontally in the extending movements of the mesh, but correspondingly move toward each other in vertical direction. In the opposite or contracting movement of the mesh, opposite movements take place, i.e., the points of connection spread apart vertically but move toward each other in horizontal direction. The relative movement of the points of connection in vertical direction are accommodated by the sliding movement of the slides or members 40 in the rails 1'4 and 16.

When the mesh is folded or contracted, the strips 24 and 26 move to a position closely adjacent the vertical but, however, remain at an angle relative to each other, as shown in FIG. 5. The amount of contraction is determined by the width of the strips, the strips moving into side-by-side abutting engagement.

The Vforegoing mesh including the strips 24 and Z6 forms a basic or standard structure of the gate and to this -mesh are secured additional strips for forming a small aperture mesh. The additional strips are indicated at 48 and 50, and are secured to the opposite or outer sides of the respective strips 24 and 26. 'More particularly the strips 48 are secured to the strips 24 while the strips 50 are secured .to the strips 26. These sets of strips are disposed in planes positioned outwardly of the planes of the strips 24 and 26, meeting in lface-to-face abutting engagement with the strips 24 and 26. The strips 48 and 50 are arranged respectively parallel in their sets, and are parallel with the opposite strips of the first sets, i.e., the strips 48 are parallel with the strips 26 while t-he strips 50 are parallel with the strips 24. The strips 48 and 50, moreover, are disposed midway between the respective strips of the rst sets, na-mely, the strips '48 are disposed midway between the strips 26 and similarly, the strips 50 are disposed midway vbetween the strips 24. The apertures thus formed by the strips 24 and 26 are bi- `sected and divided finto Ifour smaller apertures, each linearly one :half the-.sizeof the respective larger aper- 4 tures. Referring to FIG. l -for example, the strips 24 and 26 form a plurality of apertures 52, one of whichis designated as being bounded by the segments 24a, 26a, 24b and 26b. This aperture is bisected by the respective strips 48 and 50 and more particularly by segments 48a and 50a thereof. The large aperture 52 is 4thus divided into four small apertures, namely, 52a, 52h, 52C and 52d.

The strips 48 and 50 are secured to the respective strips 24 and 26 by suitable 'means such as rivets 54 (FIGS. 1 and-4). The rivets 54 at their inner ends are countersunk and formed ilush with t-he corresponding surfaces of the webs of the channels forming the strips 24 and 26 as indicated at 56 in FIG. 4 to enable the strips 24 and 26 to have -free pivoting movement, in View of the face-to-'face abutting relationship between those strips. The strips 48 and V50 may engage `the outer edges Yof the flanges of the channels forming the strips 24 and 26, when channel pieces are used, although it will be understood that when the strips 2'4 and 26 are at .the outer strips 48 and 40 will have at face-to-face engagement therewith. The strips 48 and 50 may be flat strips as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, if desired, although they may be of any other suitable shape. Preferably, the strips 48 and 50 are of the same width as the strips 24 and 26 to-provide maximum strength while enabling full side-byside abutting engagement therebetween as shown in FIG. 5 when the gate is contracted or folded. The strips 48 and 50 are arranged, as will be seen by comparing FIGS. l and 5 for extension and contraction in a manner precisely identical with the strips 24 and 26. The strips 48, for example, are parallel with the strips 26 as indicated above and remain in such parallel relationship in all positions of extension or contraction of the gate and as will be obvious, the relation between the other strips is identical, namely, the strips 50 on the opposite side are parallel with and follow the movements of the strips 24. When the gate is fully contracted, all of the strips in anyone plane are in side-by-side abutment. Thus, the outer or additional strips 48 and 50 become effective, similarly to the strips 24 and 26, in determining the amount of contraction, and mini-mum dimension, of the gate.

The strips 24 and 26 forming the standard portion of the mesh are so arranged and dimensioned that the ends thereof are mutually interconnected and there are no loose ends of any of the individual strips. Scallops are formed entirely around the mesh, which includes the points 44 (FIG. 10 mentioned above) as well as points 58 at the top and `bottom of the mesh. The strips 48 and 50 being secured to the respective strips 24 and 26 atpoints intermediate the points of connection between the strips 48 yand 50 being secured to the respective strips 24 and 26 at points intermediate the points of connection between the strips 24 and 26, as noted above, normally are not extended to the edges of the mesh formed by the strips 24 and 26. The rails 14 and I16, by reason 'of this fact, may abut or engage the side surfaces of the strips 7A and 26, and need not be dimensioned to receive the `additional strips 48 and 50. In contracting the gate, the flanges 38 do not engage the strips 48 and 50.

The strips 48 and 50 are usually arranged in a portion of the total area of the mesh that is considerably less than the who1eas shown in FIGS. 10 and 1l. As a matter of fact, one of the principal advantages of the invention resides in this feature. IThe strips 48 and 50 may be arranged in any portion of the area. of the mesh as a whole, and at only certain desired locations for preventing a person from reaching through the mesh. For example, assume that the folding gate as illustrated in FIG. 10 is applied to a jewelry store where a number of valuablepieces are displayed in the window. The .gate isdrawn across vthe store front for thenight andalthough he cannot `iind a way to pass through the mesh, he

may beable to reach through one of the large apertures such as 52 (FIG. 1) However, if there is nothing within reach of. his arm when extended through a large aperture, the damage will not be so g'reatbut in the present instance assumingfthat a prowler may be able to reach through a gate when arranged in a position such'as in FIG. 10 and after breaking the window reach .objects in the lower part of the window. However, the provision of lthe added strips 48 and 50 at a strategic location will prevent his obtaining any articles therefrom. For example in FIG. 10, the strips 48 and 50 providing the added small mesh etfect are provided in a relatively small zone beginning at the bottom of the window and reaching upwardly to a position beyond which he cannot reach articles in the window by reaching through the large apertures. It will be understood that lthe prowler will notbe able to climb over the gate.

The arrangement of the added strips 48 and 50` as illustrated in FIG. l0, shows the effectiveness of the small mesh feature in that it may be provided at a selected area less than the whole of the gate. Accordingly, a gate having such small mesh at the critical areas will have considerably less materials in the construction thereof than a gate of the kind heretofore known having suiiciently small mesh. The gate of the kind illustrated, having apertures of the size indicated at 52a, 52h, 52?:` and 52d may be folded or contracted into a space one half the size that .previous gates having such small apertures could be folded. If desired, the entire mesh may be of small aperture arrangement, the strips 48 and 50 being extended throughout the full area of the mesh for-med by the strips 24 and Z6. The folding or compacting limita- -tions are defined by the strips Z4 and Z6, as explained above and hence, .the provision of the added strips 48 and 50 and the correspondingly smallmesh provided thereby does not detract from the capability of folding the'mesh into such small area. The strips 48 and 50 lie in planes separate from the planes of the strips 24 and 26 and therefore do not change the extending and contracting capabilities of the strips 24 and 26 forming the basic orstandard structure of the mesh.

FIG; ll shows that the small mesh may be provided at other locations than that indicated in FIG. lfevidencing its wide flexibility. For example, in FIG. 1.1 assuming that the windows 60 at the sides of the store front are the only places where it would be possible for a burglar to reach through the mesh and secure articles from the window, while at other locations between the side portions 60 it would not be serious if a burglar could so reach through the mesh. Accordingly, the small mesh strips 48 and 50 are provided only over the side window portions 60.

.Because the small mesh feature may be provided in only selected portions of the entire area of the gate, considerably less material and less fabrication costs are encountered in providing a gate having small mesh at the locations desired, as compared with previous gates wherein the entire gate would be of such small mesh in order to provide the desired small mesh at the necessary locations. Another practical advantage of the arrangement is that a number of standard gates may be manufactured and placed in stock, these standard gates being gates having the basic or standard mesh formed by the strips 24 and 2W, and then upon receiving custom orders for small mesh at certain designated locations, these standard gates may be taken from stock and the added strips 48 and 50 Iapplied thereto in accordance with the desires of the prospective customer. Thus, great savings are achieved in being able to provide a large number of stock or standard gates, and greater speed in producing the de# sired gates yis achieved in that the entire gate does not have to be custom-manufactured pursuant to an order. The gates may be divided into two parts as in FIG. 10 r be in the form of a single gate as in FIG. ll according to the circumstances encountered in the particular' installation.` The overall size of the gate does not enter into` the present invention.

vWhile the illustrations of FIGS. 10 and 11 indicatethe construction embodied in a protective gate or guard, the invention is not limited to such installation. For example, astructure of the kind illustrated and described may beX utilized as a bridge over a small stream, being mounted Von a truck or other vehicle and extended across the stream from its location on the truck at .one bank of the stream. Such bridge may consist of two meshes with a series of rods interconnecting them at the bottom portion thereof. The meshes are well adapted to construction of anyv desired height to provide the necessary strength over relatively lon-g spans and the provision of added strips on the outer sides of the basic or standard strips provides great strength yfor such devices as a bridge While enabling the devices to be contracted into extremely small spaces.

While we have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising an assemblage of strips having ends, a top and a bottom, the strips being arranged in sets including a basic pair of sets and supplementary sets on opposite sides thereof, each set being disposed essentially in a different plaireV and the planes being arranged in juxtaposed position, the strips in each of the basic pair of sets being parallel and the Stripsin the two basic sets being relatively inclined at an angle and being interconnected at spaced points" l therealong, the points of connection including points strips of the adjacent basic set but parallel with those in the remote basic set and secured to the strips of the adjacent set at spaced points including points at the ends of the stripsin the supplementary set which are spaced from the ends of the strips in the basic set, all of the connections between the strips being pivotal connections and the assemblage being extensible and contractible in direction between the ends thereof, the strips in each set being disposed in side-by-side abutting relationship when the assemblage is in contracted position, and the assemblage when fully contracted having an end-to-end dimension no greater than that determined by the sideby-side abutting relationship of the strips in any one of said sets.

2.. A device of the character disclosed comprising a pair of basic sets of strips, the strips of each set being parallel and lying in a common and dilerent plane, the two planes being disposed in side-by-side relationship, the strips of each set being pivotally connected with the strips of the other set at spaced points along each individual strip, the strips in the two sets being relatively inclined and the strips thus secured forming a mesh having ends, a top and bottom, and being extensible and contractible similarly to scissors links in the direction between the ends thereof, the strips in each set being in side-by-side abutting relationship when the mesh is fully contracted and the width of the strips thus determining the minimum dimension of the mesh in length direction when contracted, and the strips in each set being closely adjacent the vertical, although inclined at an angle with the strips of the other set, when the mesh is fully contracted,y the strips of each basic set including relatively short strips adjacent the ends of the mesh the ends of which, at the ends of the mesh, define points of connection aligned vertically at the ends of the mesh, a rail at each end of the mesh secured thereto at said vertically aligned point, and a supplementary set of strips secured to the basic sets on each of opposite outer sides of the two said planes of the assembled sets. and pivotally connected to the strips of the adjacent basic set for extension and contraction similarly to the strips of the basic sets, the strips of the supplementary sets being positioned for bisecting the apertures formed by the 'strips of the basic sets and being connected to the strips of the basic sets at points between the points of interconnection of the strips of the basic sets and thus the ends of the strips of the supplementary sets that are disposed at the ends of the mesh are located inwardly from the said vertically aligned points whereby to enable the 'rails to overlie said vertically aligned points while in abutting engagement with the sides of the strips of the basic sets.

3. A folding gate comprising a pair of opposed basic sets of strips, those in each set being parallel and disposed in a common plane and the planes of the two sets being disposed in side-by-side relationship, the strips in the respective sets being disposed at different angles and being connected together at spaced points for relative pivotal movement whereby to enable the gate to be contracted to a position in which the strips of each set are disposed substantially in side-by-side abutting relation, and an extended position in which the strips of each set are spaced apart, and at least one supplementary set of strips secured to a said basic set on the outer side of the plane thereof and on the side thereof opposite the other and remote basic set, the strips of said supplementary set being parallel with each other and being and remaining parallel with the strips of said remote basic set in all positions of the gate between contracted and extended position, the strips of said supplementary set beingY disposed alternately with and between adjacent ones of the strips of said remote basic set, the said sets, basic and supplementary, each being in a diiferent plane whereby to enable the gate to be folded into contracted position no larger than that determined by the cumulative dimension of the strips of a basic set in side-by-side abutting relationship notwithstanding the securement of a said supplementary set of strips to a said basic set of strips.

4. The invention set out in claim 3 in which a pair of supplementary sets of strips are provided, one each on opposite outer sides of the planes of the basic sets, and a rail is connected to the strips of the basic sets at each of opposite ends of the gate.

5. 'Iheinvention set out in claim 3 in which the strips of the supplementary set are disposed substantially midway between respective adjacent ones of said remote basic set, and the points of connection between the strips of the supplementary set and the adjacent basic set include points at th'e ends of the strips of the supplementary set.

6. The invention set out in claim 3 in which the strips of the supplementary set cover an area of the gate 'substantially less than -the total area thereof whereby the basic sets of strips form the supporting structure of the gate and the supplementary set of strips provide protective small-aperture mesh at a predetermined smaller p0rtion of the gate.

7. A device of the character described comprising a mesh including la pair of sets of strips pivotally secured together for extension and contraction thereof in the manner of scissors links, the strips forming parallelogramaperture mesh when extended, and a pair of supplementary sets of strips respectively on opposite sides of the mesh and pivotally secured to the respective ones of the firstmentioned sets at positions to bisect respective ones of the apertures formed by the strips of the rst-mentioned sets, the strips of each set being disposed in a common and entirely dilferent plane, the strips of each set also being parallel and in side-by-side abutting relationship when contracted and the width thereof thereby determining the minimum dimension of the mesh in contracted position, all of said strips being of substantially the same Width whereby to provide maximum strength of the strips for the determined dimension of the contracted mesh.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

